No, Kratom Doesn't Cure Addiction

For the past several years, there has been a lot of interest in the wellness community about an herb sold online called Kratom. Kratom is a drug that has been used for centuries in Southeast Asian countries for various reasons. The most notable of reasoning has been as a "substitute" for opiates. Because of this, many people who are desperate to quit opioids turn to this drug to help them ease their withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, this quick fix isn't a fix at all; the Food and Drug Administration has received reports of similar withdrawal symptoms when a user tries to quit taking Kratom.

What is Kratom?

Kratom is a green powder supplement that has been sold as a sort of snake oil online. People have claimed it can boost their energy and moods, kill pain, and even fix their opioid withdrawal symptoms. All of these short-term effects are possible, but that doesn't make the supplement safe. Kratom is an unregulated drug that has been outlawed, in fact, in some Asian countries due to its similarity to opium.

Kratom is a quasi-legal substance, according to the FDA. They have already halted the drug's importations due to a lack of evidence that it has value as holistic medicine. People usually administer Kratom by drinking it as a tea or putting the powder into capsules they can swallow.

Kratom Is Probably Addictive, Too

Long-term users anecdotally will describe the need for more Kratom to get a similar effect as before. This is evidence that people who use Kratom build a tolerance to the drug similar to opioids. Some people who try to quit Kratom have what is described as a "rebound effect." They feel much worse when they are off of it than on it. If they took Kratom for anxiety, for example, they might discover that without Kratom, they feel worse than they did before when they're anxious.

People also have reported that they have gone through withdrawal when ceasing the use of the substance. According to Poison control centers in the United States, seven infants were exposed to Kratom and were hospitalized. Five of these children experienced withdrawal effects when the Kratom left their system, suggesting that it is powerfully addictive.

Other side effects from Kratom include liver damage, trouble breathing, muscle pain, chills, vomiting, nausea, and constipation. All of these symptoms are similar to opioid withdrawal symptoms. More troubling effects reported by Kratom users included dizziness, hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions during use or withdrawal.

Due to these issues, Kratom use is not recommended by medical professionals or the addiction recovery community. If you or a loved one need help to get clean from opioids, there are safer, more recovery-affirming options available. Don't trade one addiction for another.

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